Honorary Master

The true bite of the Zondo judicial commission of inquiry probing state capture will be felt in the strength of the investigative team.
The six commissioners - seasoned legal doyens and number crunchers — have the enormous task of piecing together how the state was captured by the Gupta family and their business associates and how deep the corruption crept.
The chair of the commission‚ Justice Raymond Zondo‚ chose former auditor general Terence Nombembe to head the team of investigators‚ saying earlier this year that he had no doubt that the commission would derive a lot of value from Nombembe’s role as the head of the investigating team.
The chartered accountant from Qumbu in the Eastern Cape is heading a multi-skilled team of forensic investigators and lawyers who have been trawling through evidence and securing witness statements for the inquiry.
Nombembe is best known for his role as the auditor general of South Africa where he served for seven years until 2013.

Honorary Master

Inquiry likely to be disturbing as full extent of state capture unravels

What does South Africa still need to know about state capture after all the revelations of looting of the public purse?
Media investigations and the publishing of leaked Gupta emails caused a deluge of information on how the capture project was executed and lined up the politicians and officials who aided the plunder.
The state capture commission of inquiry‚ chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo‚ therefore appears to be a long‚ exhaustive process to rake through all the muck.
What the inquiry will not do is lead to prosecutions for wilful and widespread corruption. Like other commissions on inquiry‚ there is a danger that it might serve to suspend action in the criminal justice system until the process is completed.

Honorary Master

Mentor says she will appear before the commission on August 27, while it is expected that some witnesses will testify as early as Tuesday.
Former ANC Member of Parliament (MP) Mabel Petronella “Vytjie” Mentor has urged South Africans to “watch, monitor and follow” the commission of inquiry into state capture that gets underway in Johannesburg on Monday.
The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State which will be chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo kicks off on Monday at 10 am in Parktown, Johannesburg.
Zondo announced in a statement on Friday that Mentor, along with former finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and others, would be among the first witnesses to be called to appear before the commission over the next weeks.
Mentor said she would appear before the commission on August 27.

Expert Member

Honorary Master

Mcebisi Jonas and Vytjie Mentor two of the first witnesses at Zondo inquiry

Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor will be part of the witnesses called at the first hearings of the Zondo commission into state capture.
This means that the first evidence the commission will receive is about the influence of the controversial Gupta family on the appointment of ministers and boards to state-owned entities, in former president Jacob Zuma’s cabinet and administration.
The commission was established by Zuma, and will be headed up by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo.
The commission, which starts on Monday, will look into the malfeasance in which high-profile politicians including Zuma, have been directly or indirectly implicated, according to a report by former public protector Thuli Madonsela.
In a public statement released by the Treasury in March 2016, Jonas said Ajay Gupta had offered him a job as finance minister to replace Nhlanhla Nene.

Honorary Master

Honorary Master

ANC urges members to come forward with state capture evidence, even if comrades will be implicated

The ANC has urged members who have evidence related to state capture to be "bold and courageous" and to make submissions to the commission of inquiry even if they implicate their comrades.

Head of the party's presidency Zizi Kodwa told News24 ahead of the beginning of the inquiry on Monday that the commission was crucial for the party to rebuild a broken relationship of trust between it and the public.

"Those who have made allegations loudly in public should be bold and courageous and use this important platform to come forward with evidence for the sake of the country. We need to get to the bottom of the allegations," Kodwa said.

"It includes ANC members and ANC leaders, regardless who is involved," he said.

It's in how it is executed. The PP also put a much shorter timeline on it which has been ignored.

I expect this to be much televised and reported on, no concrete findings to come out of it and lots of boasting by the criminals in the ANC about how they clearly are fighting state capture even though not one single high ranking cadre will go to jail ...

Honorary Master

Executive Member

It's in how it is executed. The PP also put a much shorter timeline on it which has been ignored.

I expect this to be much televised and reported on, no concrete findings to come out of it and lots of boasting by the criminals in the ANC about how they clearly are fighting state capture even though not one single high ranking cadre will go to jail ...

Honorary Master

Honorary Master

It's in how it is executed. The PP also put a much shorter timeline on it which has been ignored.

I expect this to be much televised and reported on, no concrete findings to come out of it and lots of boasting by the criminals in the ANC about how they clearly are fighting state capture even though not one single high ranking cadre will go to jail ...

I know they extended the terms and scope beyond the PP's recommendations, but this is really complicated and apparently the state isn't cooperating with investigators. And then there were those reports from the likes of Pravin and the SACP about evidence busy being disappeared during Zuma's term and continuing even now by some of the embedded Zuptoids.

Sure, it is a political hot potato and it serves the ANC that the inquiry will only be concluded well after next year's election so they don't need to worry about it affecting that outcome for now. But you have to admit people will be watching and reading all the way from now until then and get to learn the extent and scale of Zuma's corruption. Of course, the ANC can wash their hands and claim to have "acted" to stem the tide however too late.

Honorary Master

Jonas on the stand the testimony is really sickening of just how arrogant the Guptas were.

Jonas says the Guptas (Ajay) told him they controlled the NPA, Hawks, and the old man would do whatever they told him to. Apparently they told Jonas that they had Lynne Brown and Brian Molefe and that Molefe had a bright future and no one would touch Jonas if he worked with the them.

Expert Member

Jonas on the stand the testimony is really sickening of just how arrogant the Guptas were.

Jonas says the Guptas (Ajay) told him they controlled the NPA, Hawks, and the old man would do whatever they told him to. Apparently they told Jonas that they had Lynne Brown and Brian Molefe and that Molefe had a bright future and no one would touch Jonas if he worked with the them.